73 
DESCRIPTION 
This pole of Mountain-man (Plate XII, figure 2) contains the following 
figures: Big-man or Strong-man (Kaigyei ), at the top; under Big-man, the 
Otter (Dzande or Nihl-tsiuku ); and four human figures representing Strong- 
man, with various secret society (or fraternity) paraphernalia — cedar 
collar, rings, and headdresses. Long-pointed noses, bird-like, used to 
characterize three of the lower beings, but they have dropped off their 
sockets, and been lost, many years ago. 
ORIGIN 
The Otter is not a real crest or emblem, but a spirit-name (narhnawk ), 
'Hence, there is no myth to explain its origin. The name of Large-otter 
(’Wee’watserh ) also belongs to the family of Alla-ist of Kisgagas, among 
the upper Gitksan, who, as we have seen above, may be a foreign relative 
of Mountain-man, the chief of this family of Ilagwelget. 
The origin of Strong-man or Big-man (Kaigyet)^ is explained in a 
myth, the outline of which is as follows. A hunter and his wife once were 
hunting, away from the village. While the hunter was away one night, his 
wife disappeared. He followed the tracks and found out that she had been 
taken away by a giant. WTien he discovered the monster he shot arrows 
at him, but to no avail, until he discovered his only vulnerable spot — the 
palm of his hands wherein appeared the figure of a heart. He saved the 
giant’s offspring, who became the mythic Strong-man (Kaigyei). Strong- 
man eventually caused the death of his protector, and killed all the people 
but two virgins, who were then living in seclusion'. He gathered their 
eyes and tongues in a basket, and was preparing to cook them for a meal, 
when the virgins discovered him, and through a ruse, caused his death. 
They burnt his remains, and, recovering the eyes and tonnes of their 
relatives, restored their tribesmen to life. But through their mistake in 
sorting out the missing parts they caused many people to be cross-eyed 
or more talkative than they used to be. The mythic being, Strong-man, 
is represented on Mountain man’s pole on the presumption that these 
virgins were among his family ancestors.^ 
CARVERS 
The pole of Mountain-man was carved by Samalee, of Hagwelget, and 
Tsyebasa, of the Fireweed phratry of Gitsegyukla.^ It was erected some 
time after the construction of the Western Union Telegraph Line (1866). 
Its technique is very primitive and, as such, is of particular interest. 
Like several of the oldest poles of the Gitksan, it is that of mask making 
rather than of totem pole carving. The faces of the people on the pole 
are like masks attached to the pole, and their bodies look hke detached 
limbs affixed separately to the log. We have seen elsewhere, that the 
art of totem pole carving grew out of the earlier one of carving smaller 
objects for ceremonial and domestic purposes. 
‘This crest is practically the same as Woman-of-Strong-man (Ksemkaigyet) which belongs to Ksem-qaqhl, 
a member of the Wild-rice clan of the Wolf phratry among the Gitksan. Ksem-qaqhlnow resides in Hazelton, 
but was formerly of Kisgagas. Woman-of-strong-man is also represented with the same long, bird-like nose. 
’Narrative dictated by Donald Grey, of Hagwelget. 
’Donald Grey stated first that it had been carved by Lurhawn of Gitwinlkul, but he later corrected his state- 
ment, adding that it was the work of a Gitsegyukla carver. Tsyebasa, lived at Hagwelget. Information from 
D. Jenness. 
84628-6 
